Review

Since the restaurant opened at The InterContinental in 2003, not much has changed with the decor. The spoons suspended from the ceilings remain unchanging, as does the awe-inspiring ocean views visible from the floor-to-ceiling windows that line an entire side of the restaurant. Although there is an open kitchen, it goes sadly ignored by most patrons as they gape out the window. Light gray and ash-wood forms much of the colour motif, while the crowd consists mostly of romantic couples on dates.

The menu at Spoon changes seasonally and frequently, so that quite often, even if you were extremely prepared and looked at the menu online beforehand, the one you will hold in your hand when you are seated at the French fine dining restaurant may be quite different. When we visited at the end of summer, we thoroughly enjoyed our two light appetisers that will no doubt have disappeared by the time you read this review. A cold tomato consommé is mild yet zesty with basil, tasting exactly like spoonfuls of summer. The side of mini baguette stuffed chock-full with burrata is highlighted by the quality of the olive oil. Our other starter was equally healthy and delicious: a mackerel tartar with quinoa, topped with grilled mackerel belly. We loved the lemony quinoa with the cubes of raw fish though to be honest, we would have preferred our belly just a touch less cooked, but that is entirely subjective. It would have been more daring to have a lighter touch with the soy glaze and let the fish shine, but as mackerel is too strong a fish for most people, we understand the thinking behind the dish. Mains were slightly less good. The Challans duckling breast was served medium-rare, though we had requested rare. Although still tender, the meat itself is not too flavourful, we suspect because the poor bird hasn’t had too long to live and is simply too young to have acquired much gamey taste. Our other main is the lobster and truffle pasta: the crustacean is generously portioned and well-cooked, and while comforting, the dish does not stand out. What really stood out, however, was the signature dessert of chocolate crunchy praline. This might be one of the best desserts we sampled all year, with layers of salty praline, crunchy hazelnuts, crispy base and a rich, dark chocolate ganache.

Spoon has an excellent wine menu, with a very good sommelier to match. Unusual finds abound in the wine list, even from the by the glass selection, where you could find a white wine from Greece, or a red from Lebanon’s Chateau Musar along with more conventional offerings.

The service at Spoon is mostly good, though it does varies depending on the server. The pacing of the courses can be just a tad quick, which can cause an otherwise luxurious meal to feel a bit business-like, though that would most likely appeal to most diners in time-conscious Hong Kong.

A three-course meal for two with a glass of wine each comes to about HK$3,300, which is quite a standard price for this level of dining, and actually reasonable considering the first-class views that are thrown in.